The Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award

Presented by Design Ignites Change and AIGA

Designers who have developed a strong concept to ignite change in their community, along with a well-conceived and researched plan for execution, are invited to apply for the Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award for $10,000 toward implementation of their project.

AIGA Medalist Sylvia Harris (1953–2011) is widely recognized as a pioneer, a generous mentor and a vital inspiration to the field of social impact design. In that spirit, the Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award has been established to honor her legacy by supporting other vanguards dedicated to public design.

Professional designers may apply with a thoroughly developed project that meets the following broad parameters:

Addresses a pressing social issue within the designer’s community (or a community in which the designer is deeply embedded)

Can be implemented within that community in a timely manner

Will deliver positive results that can be measured

Projects must be feasible and applicants must clearly demonstrate the ability to execute and follow through with the implementation process.

Deadline: August 1, 2014

Eligibility

The Sylvia Harris Citizen Design Award is for practicing professionals from all design disciplines (graphic, product, architecture, interior, interactive,
service design, etc.). Applicants must have a minimum of one year of professional design experience. Applicants must be based in the United States and the
projects must be implemented in the United States in their own community or in a community in which they are deeply embedded.

Evaluation

All award applications will be reviewed by an independent committee of creative professionals, business, civic and nonprofit leaders. Projects will be
evaluated on concept, viability and potential for impact.

Selection

The winner will be announced approximately one month after the deadline, at which time monies will be made available.

Application process

Applying for the award is a three-part process:

Part 1: Register as a Design Ignites Change participant
Register as a participant at DesignIgnitesChange.org to receive a participant login, which is required for Part 2. It is recommended that you register at least two weeks before the deadline.

Part 2: Post your project’s case study on DesignIgnitesChange.org You will post your project case study on the Design Ignites Change site, using the the login you receive once you become a registered participant.

Part 3: Complete an online applicationAn online application must also be submitted through PitchBurner (requires a separate login) by the deadline. The application system will be available in late spring 2014; in the meantime, we encourage applicants to download a PDF of the application.

Parameters

The following parameters and restrictions apply:

All awarded projects—or a distinct portion of the project that this award will fund—must be executed within one year after the award is announced.
Extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Award recipients will work under the close supervision of Worldstudio, AIGA and professional consultants until the completion of the project, based on
their timeline.

Projects can be independently executed in partnership with a corporation or non-profit organization.

Design Ignites Change Advisory Board members are not eligible to directly apply, although members from organizations they are affiliated with
are eligible.

Worldstudio and AIGA employees and family members are ineligible.

All concepts remain the intellectual property of the applicants.

Adobe Foundation, Worldstudio, AIGA and Design Ignites Change reserve the right to reproduce and showcase the submitted entries as case studies.

About Sylvia Harris

Over her twenty-five year career, Sylvia Harris championed “good design for the common good,” tirelessly promoting accessible communications for mass
audiences. As founder and principal of Citizen Research & Design, she consulted for the nation’s largest hospitals, universities, and civic agencies on
strategic design planning, public policy development and innovation management.

Her career highlights included serving as creative director of the 2000 National Census for the U.S. Census Bureau; an appointment to the U.S. Postal Service
Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee; advisor for Design Trust for Public Space, the African Burial Ground and AIGA Design for Democracy; educator at Yale
University, The School of Visual Arts and The Cooper Union; and co-founder of the firm Two Twelve Associates.

Sylvia was a founder of the nonprofit Public Policy Lab, which is dedicated to improving public services and empowering Americans through design and
policy. She established the Citizen Designer movement shortly before her untimely death in 2011, and will be honored posthumously with a 2014 AIGA Medal.

About Design Ignites Change

Design Ignites Change believes that creativity holds enormous power to spark positive social change. As a collaboration between the Adobe Foundation and Worldstudio, Design Ignites Change supports creative professionals and students who use design thinking—the combination of unleashed creativity and executable
actions—to improve the lives of individuals and communities.

About AIGA

AIGA, the professional association for design, advances design as a
professional craft, strategic advantage and vital cultural force. As the
largest community of design advocates, we bring together practitioners,
enthusiasts and patrons to amplify the voice of design and create the
vision for a collective future. We define global standards and ethical
practices, guide design education, inspire designers and the public,
enhance professional development, and make powerful tools and resources
accessible to all. Learn more at aiga.org/about.